Distant Echoes
by Cairis Rin
Summary: Summaries...merf! Hakkai runs into a piece of his past he never knew was there.
1. Who's driving?

Distant Echos  
By: CairisRin

Disclaimer:   
Don't own them...lalala...and apologies for any mistakes towards the Japanese, my sister's trying to teach me some, but I'm thick headed! :P Plus, I've only *seen* Saiyuki, I know next to nothing of the Manga. 

Notes:  
Non-yaoi. Some action, angst, the usual. Oh, and a few references towards adult situations, but no details, really. It's pure fanfic to me, meaning, I can think of a least two things that will be in this story that I doubt will ever be in Saiyuki...*shrugs* Plus, it's my first Saiyuki fic, and it's been a couple months since I wrote for any reason, so I'm feeling a bit rusty. Oh well, enjoy! :)

Notes: Addendum  
Ack! I was spelling Mr. Worldly Monk's name wrong that whole time! Thanks for graciously correcting me, and I've got it all fixed now. :)

-----

Son Goku hung lazily over the side of the jeep staring idly at the passing flowers. They'd been on the road, for...he wasn't sure how long anymore, but it'd been three days since they'd passed through the last town. They were continuing their journey west, always to the west, at least this time the road actually went west. And it wasn't so hot anymore, he added ruefully, leaning a bit further out towards the larger patches of flowers that were passing by. His eyes were wide, his mouth watering, his stomach on the verge of growling it's discourse. Just a little further... right as his hand touched the green stemmed delights, he felt his balance shift and was in the next instant falling out of the swiftly moving jeep. 

"Bakasaru!!" Sha Gojyo yelled even as his hand reached out to grab the younger boy's belt and pull him back to safety. Not like a fall would actually hurt him, Gojyo inwardly groused but demanded anyway. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Goku settled back with a triumphant smile, staring fixedly at the clutched clump of white-ended flowers in hand. "I'm hungry!" Goku simply told him, and not much to anyone's surprise devoured the newly acquired edibles. Well, edible to Goku.

Gojyo wanted to groan, but with a sudden thought, said instead, "You know Goku, those could have been poisonous!" 

"Poisonous? Wha- Sanzo! Were they poisonous? Sanzo?"

Genjo Sanzo, a Buddhist monk unlike any other, sank lower in the front passenger seat he always occupied, determined not to look back at them. "Why are you asking me?"

Goku automatically looked to Cho Hakkai, the driver and only other member of the group, unless you counted Hakuryuu, the jeep itself. But before he could repeat his question Gojyo had interrupted him, the red haired man looking as serious as he could as he stated. "In fact Goku, I think those might have been the notorious Deadly Daisies." He made a show of looking over the edge of the still moving jeep before turning back to Goku. "Yep, they look like Daisies to me." He shook his head in pity.

"Wha- what do they do?" Goku asked suddenly feeling a little unsure as Gojyo leaned in looking him over as if he was looking for any signs of symptoms.

"Well, first, instead of filling you up, they make you feel even more hungry than before!" Goku's stomach grumbled in response and the youth suddenly got very worried. "Then come the chills, your body begins to feel a bit weak and your vision starts to go. Things start to look fuzzy and distorted," Gojyo leaned in closer, having fully captured the young monkey's imagination, for now Goku was shaking and his eyes blurring slightly from the closeness of Gojyo's face. "It's the last symptom that's the worst," Gojyo continued with all seriousness.

"What's that?" Goku whispered.

"You can feel it in your blood like ants crawling across your skin. One. By. One." Goku shivered. "Then, that's when you know the Deadly Daisies have done their job. That's when you know you're going to die!"

"I don't want to die!!" Goku cried out, his voice full of desperation.

The only response was a growl from Sanzo, and a fit of laughter from Gojyo, but it took Goku a few minutes to calm down enough to realize why. In the next moment he was on the red head screaming, "Gojyo! You ero-kappa! Why did you lie to me!"

Gojyo held his own, still laughing heartily. "Saru, you're so easy!"

"Don't call me monkey! And I'm not easy!" Goku retorted. "You're the one who'll pick up anyone he can!"

The fight began for real at that point, exchanging blows, verbal and physical, as the jeep continued on it's never ending route west. Sanzo allowed it to continue for a few more minutes, his scowl deepening further with each round, till finally his fan came out and beat the two back passengers into silence. "URUSAI!!!" 

Massaging the sting in his head, Goku automatically complained, "But Sanzo!" Only the monk had that look on his face, and Goku knew what would come next if he persisted. So did Gojyo, for they both settled back down without another word.

A minute later Gojyo grumbled, "It's your fault bakasaru! Eating flowers!"

Goku wanted to protest, his stomach beating him to it, but still feeling the fan's sting asked instead. "Hakkai! How much longer?"

Hakkai didn't answer. Which took them all by surprise, for the expected response would have been a far too cheerful, 'there's a town just up ahead.' Yet Hakkai said nothing, he wasn't moving, he wasn't even smiling, which was odd. 

He was just driving.

Worried and curious, all three passengers leaned in closer around the peaceable man. "Hakkai?" Gojyo questioned hesitantly. No response. That's when they realized the man's eyes were closed, and his breath rhythmic. 

"He's asleep," Sanzo stated startled.

"And driving," Gojyo added in wonder.

"Is this good?" Goku questioned.

Gojyo nudged and shook Hakkai from behind calling out, "Hakkai! Wake up! Hakkai!" But the sleeping man barely stirred, and the only change was that his grip had lessened enough on the wheel that it started a gradual turn from it's arrow straight coarse. Hakuryuu let out a small concerned squeal, it's trilling like sound emanating from the engine of the jeep.

To everyone's surprise Sanzo did something he rarely did to Hakkai. He hit him on the head with the fan.

"Wha-?!" Hakkai came awake instantly, but to their much chagrin responded as one might if being woken before an impending accident. The jeep swiveled sharply right, straight towards the lining cliff face. Hakuryuu squealed even harder and before anyone could prevent the collision of jeep on rock, the jeep quite simply vanished in a flash of light and the occupants went rolling out. Goku, the lightest of them all flew the farthest and hit the wall of rock with an audible thud. 

It was a moment before the group could regain any composure, Hakuryuu hovering anxiously above their heads, no longer a jeep but a small little white dragon. 

"Hakkai!" Gojyo complained loudly, brushing off tuffs of torn grass from his clothes. 

The previously sleeping man looked about himself with odd expression on his face and a little more cautiously than the rest got back up to his feet. Smiling sheepishly, he replied, "I guess I dozed off." 

"Dozed isn't quite the right word." Sanzo growled, but then loosing his disconcerted look questioned. "Have you not been sleeping?"

"I have. But I've been having odd dreams, and I'm waking up tired," he admitted. 

Sanzo seemed to think about this for a minute than decisively stated. "Gojyo, you drive!"

"Me? What about Goku?" The words were out of the kappa's mouth before he'd put any thought to them, and the look on Sanzo's face only helped to hone in just how serious a mistake it had been.

Goku's golden eyes lit up like a neon sign in the middle of Vegas. "I want to drive! Sanzo! Can I drive? Please?!"

"You're too young."

"No I'm not! Besides, it's Hakuryuu!" The dragon made a noise that wasn't quite a protest, but not quite an agreement either.

"I can drive," Hakkai put in, wanting to stave off any further arguing, but his words didn't have quite the effect he wanted as they were punctuated by a large yawn. 

Gojyo threw an arm around his friend's shoulders and smirked. "Ya, right!"

Goku was practically hanging off the monk's sleeve in his vigor of pleading. "Sanzo! Please! I can drive! Sanzo!"

The monk turned murderous eyes on the kappa. "I'm going to kill you!"

Gojyo just shrugged. "Not if the ape does first. Beside, how bad could it be? The road's straight from here to the next town, isn't it Hakkai?"

"Ah..." He smiled hesitantly. "Hai."

Sanzo growled out one last comment, but finally relented and no longer trying to dislodge the monkey, had him by the scruff. "You will pay attention to the road, Goku!"

"Hai, hai, Sanzo!"

Hakuryuu changed back and they piled in, with Goku at the wheel, much to the unease of the rest. 

"Now saru, the pedal on the left is the brake and the one on the right is the gas," Gojyo told him, leaning over from the back to stare at Goku's feet. At least his legs were long enough, the red head thought ruefully.

Goku made a face and shoved Gojyo back. "Hai, hai Gojyo. I got it!" And before any more instruction could take place his foot pressed down on the gas and the jeep surged forward. Much to their surprise, it didn't lurch from place to place but had settled on the straight coarse the road laid out, if just a bit faster than normal. "See! Sanzo, Gojyo, Hakkai, I'm driving!" Then he turned to Gojyo to smirk. "Told you I could!"

"Baka! Eyes on the road!" Sanzo snapped out as the car turned with Goku's line of sight. He quickly righted it, and on threat of being forced to pull over and relinquish control, Goku managed to keep his comments to himself and his eyes forward.

After several minutes of anticipating doom, the group finally began to relax. Hakkai, feeling a bit guilty and more than a bit awkward settled down into the unaccustomed position of the back. Yet as much as he didn't want to admit it, his eyelids felt heavy, and he didn't think he'd be able to stay awake much longer. If he could just get a bit more sleep, than he'd be fine. He really didn't understand why he was so tired lately, he'd gone days without sleep before and never had a problem. But he had gotten sleep, hadn't he? His thoughts drowsily started to slide away when he realized someone was calling his name. 

Forcing himself back to awareness he met the worried gaze of Gojyo. "Nani?"

"Ne, Hakkai, just how tired are you?!" Gojyo quietly exclaimed, and continued when Hakkai didn't answer. "What are your dreams about?"

Hakkai thought for a second before replying. "They're memories."

"From...?" Gojyo asked trailing off, not really wanting to say it, but Hakkai knew what he was referring to and shook his head.

"From before then." He smiled. "Not unpleasant memories...just odd." He laid his head back, feeling the comforting rhythm of the jeep as it lulled him back to sleep.

Gojyo was about to shake the man awake again, but Sanzo stopped him, saying simply, "Let him sleep."

The next hour was abnormally quiet for the occupants of the jeep. Every time Goku would turn slightly to say something Sanzo's fan would remind him of the direction they were going in, and even Gojyo had refrained from pestering the boy, for fear of his own life no doubt. 

Suddenly a familiar smell caught Goku's attention. His nose rose unbidden to sniff at the air.

The action had instantly attracted Sanzo's attention and the monk quickly questioned, expecting trouble, "Goku, what is it?"

But it wasn't the kind of trouble he thought it was. 

"FOOD!!"

Goku didn't wait, lead by a far greater instinct than that of self-preservation, he sharply turned the jeep with an alarmed call from Hakuryuu and drove them straight into the thick of the forest that banked the other side. 

"BAKASARU!!!" 

Even Hakkai woke from the sudden change in environment. "What's going on?"

"That idiot ape is taking us on a detour!" Gojyo answered trying to protect his friend from the whipping tree branches but it was difficult to do anything as the jeep threw its passengers to and fro, collecting leaves by the mouthful as they went.

Sanzo was still trying to wrestle the wheel from Goku when the jeep suddenly vacated the forest and the group all at once found themselves airborne, the reflective shimmer of a small lake glistening below them. Like deja vu, Hakuryuu let out a strangled cheep and vanished in a burst of light to reappear as his normal dragon self. The rest plunged downward, landing in a splash at the bottom.

Yes indeed, this wasn't the first time this had happened to them, although perhaps not by such means exactly, Hakkai thought to himself, the cold water bringing him to his senses faster than anything else. He barely broke the surface when he was suddenly plunged under again as a frantic Gojyo clung to his back. The poor kappa couldn't swim. Sputtering water, Hakkai pushed them towards the shore, and smiling informed Gojyo that he could get off now.

Gojyo did so, like the fall of a rock, but the water wasn't high enough anymore to be a danger, and the kappa growled out, "Idiot monkey! How hard is it to stay on the road!"

Sanzo and Goku were still out in the middle of the lake, but without the solid footing the miniature war that raged was more like watching two ducks in a cat fight...with much splashing and garbled, water choked remarks like "Bakasaru!" and "But I'm hungry!"

"I hope they don't kill each other," Hakkai murmured, although not sounding too concerned about it. 

Gojyo just laughed. "Serves them right if they do!" His laughter was joined by another. 

Deja vu indeed! Both men turned to see a young woman half bent to fill a bucket with water and chuckling at their companion's misfortune. She had the grace to blush and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. We don't get many visitors, less from over the cliff." And she chuckled again glancing up its sizable height and the visible hole their exodus had created in the trees. 

Both men smiled, though for different reasons, and Hakkai replied in turn, "Our own apologies if we have caused any-" He broke off, the smile fading as he realized she was staring at him, her face draining of color. That's when he noticed that the odd feeling of deja vu hadn't fully passed yet.

"Cho Gonou?" The woman whispered, her voice full of fear and anxiety. It shot through all his guarding barriers like burning iron. 

"I'm sorry, but-" He hesitantly began, and was gratefully cut off as Goku and Sanzo finally breached the shore, interrupting them.

"Eh Hakkai! Who's this?!" Goku unabashedly inquired.

The woman, startled, broke off her gaze with Hakkai and blushed once more, murmuring, "My apologies, I was mistaken." But then she smiled again, the moment passed, and answered Goku's question. "I'm Rinai."

Hakkai inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and courteously introduced them all. Barely a second later, Goku was once again exclaiming with delight, "I smell food!" And would have run after his nose if Sanzo hadn't whacked him good and hard with a soaking wet fan, which to Goku's demise hurt twice as bad as a dry one. Sanzo yelled at the saru to sit still, but the woman, Rinai, just laughed and told them, "The town is having its usual gathering at market today. Everyone always brings something to share."

"Umum! It smells delicious!" Goku agreed and turned pleading eyes on the wet monk. "Sanzo, can we go? Please? Sanzo!"

The glower on the disgruntled monk had darkened, reminding everyone too much of a cat who'd just been forced to take a bath, but Sanzo didn't get a chance to immediately reply.

"Rinai!" A voice called down, the figure breaking through the trees at a run, only slowing when he was sure she was in no immediate trouble. "Rinai! What are you doing? Who are you people?" He demanded, eyes thinning in suspicion. 

Rinai's smile broadened and she met the man with half a hug in greeting. "It's alright Ookami, they're travelers, from the road."

"The road!" He exclaimed his suspicion washing away in his surprise as he involuntarily looked up the cliff to the line of trees above, then viewed each of the soaked companions with sudden acute interest. He grunted and gruffly stated, "You all might as well come up to the town, at least until you dry off."

Hakuryuu trilled out to them, deeming himself now safe from reprise, and at last settled upon Hakkai's shoulder. Hakkai absently reached up and stroked the little dragon, his thoughts a disturbed mess for all he was smiling pleasantly enough. "We don't want to cause you any trouble." 

Ookami snorted. "No trouble." He picked up the forgotten bucket, his other hand in Rinai's, and started back up the small path ahead of them, gruffly stating, "We don't get many visitors."

Rinai just smiled at them, saying reassuringly, "Come, the town will be glad for company! And there's plenty to eat!"

Goku once again turned pleading eyes on the monk. But it was agreed and the small wet group followed.

Dropping a pace behind, Hakkai finally relaxed, his mind felt furry and the cold of his wet clothes combined with his apparent exhaustion was taking its toll. He quietly noted as the red haired child of taboo also dropped back matching his pace.

"Do you know her?" Gojyo asked, keeping his voice low.

"I'm not sure. Maybe," Hakkai told him honestly. "If so, it was a long time ago." That much he was sure of. The sense of deja vu he'd been having told him that. They were old memories, just like the dreams. 

"Even so, she knew who you were," Gojyo persisted, the caution evident.

"Hai."

-----


	2. Plot thickens?

Note: Sorry for the mistakes earlier. :) And I didn't mean to wait so long to post this part, or correct the last, but I've been having troubles writing and then RL took me away from my computer, as it's about to do again! Merf! Could this be a sign? *A bolt of lightning crashes outside Cairis' window* Oooorrr maybe not! I'll probably just finish this story in part three...as soon as I can return to a compy, write it and post it anyways. 

-----

When the group got to the edge of the town, they all stopped short, even Goku despite the persistent grumbling in his stomach. Their guides turned back giving the wet companions a curious look.

Gojyo leaned over to the monk and murmured, "Hey, Sanzo, they're youkai."

"Not all of us, child of Taboo." An old man stated as he approached the group from down the path into town. He himself was youkai and clearly showed it, but he didn't seem in any way aggressive like most youkai they came across these days.

Ookami nodded respectively to the elder man, answering the unspoken question. "Kazou-sama, they're travelers who were sidetracked from the road."

Kazou smirked. "And had a dip in the lake?" He asked wryly, but only Hakuryuu answered.

Then Ookami turned once again suspicious eyes on the group, saying, "I didn't think you'd have a problem with us, seeing as how half of you are youkai yourselves?"

They were startled, but then Hakkai realized something his own senses had been trying to make clear through his muddled head and smiled. "You use the youryoku limiters as well I see."

"It helps to keep us ourselves," Rinai replied.

"Then you all live in peace with each other?" Goku questioned. Gojyo softly snorted but Goku persisted, "Human and youkai together?"

Kazou chuckled. "It wasn't easy, but it helps that our small community is so isolated from everyone. We don't get many visitors, but you are all welcome here."

"We're just passing through," Sanzo told him.

Waving that off as irrelevant, Kazou insisted, "Stay the night, at least till you're dry again. I have extra rooms, and clothes to spare. It's a hard trek back up the cliff to the road, and the day is already late. The town is already gathering for supper, join us."

It was hard not to give in to the man's kind invitation, but they'd been trapped by far too many of the like, and Sanzo wasn't as convinced there was peace as these youkai were making it out to appear...still...they were wet...and it'd be colder at night. 

"Sanzo?"

The monk looked down at the inquiring golden eyes and sighed. That was permission enough, and Hakkai replied for them with his usual smile, "Thank you for your generous hospitality."

The older youkai waved it off and motioned them to follow him into the town. It truly was unlike any town they'd yet been in, if you could call it a town, for it was widely lacking in population, but there was the mix of both humans and youkai, some with the limiters, and some without. And to their further surprise, there were even a couple children of Taboo of various ages, but marked as Gojyo was, by the flaming red hair and eyes. 

Hakkai noticed the strained look in his friend's face, the slight crease around the eyes and thinning of the mouth. Lightly touching Gojyo's arm, Hakkai questioned, concerned, "Gojyo?"

But it was the monk who answered as Sanzo stepped the half pace back and grumbled, "This place is dangerous, for all of us."

No one bothered replying. 

The dry warm clothes felt nice against his chilled skin, perhaps a bit too nice, for although Hakkai only put his head down on the bed for a second, a second was all it took. 

"You ready?" Sanzo asked impatiently, tugging the loose over shirt into place. It felt weird. When there was no response he looked over at his roommate with raised eyebrows, but Hakkai was far from paying any attention.

Hakuryuu released a small trill and flew to the bed to settle atop the sleeping man. "Are you staying here?" Sanzo asked the little dragon. The creature flipped his wings to his back and laid his long neck across Hakkai's thigh, two bright red eyes staring up at the monk. Sanzo's expression didn't change, and he told the dragon as he left, "I'll pick you up something to eat."

At the front door he met Gojyo and Goku, also in fresh, dry, foreign, clothes. For all appearances, it looked as if Gojyo was holding Goku in place with a grip on the back of the boy's shirt as he strained to move forward, mouth drooling and emanating the halfway coherent mantra of, "Food! Smells...delicious...hungry...food!"

Gojyo looked up as Sanzo approached and let go of the saru. "Ne, where's Hakkai?" Goku, no longer being restrained, instead of surging ahead as intended, fell flat on his face, but was up again a second later. 

"Sanzo? I'm hungry!"

"Sleeping," Sanzo first replied to Gojyo's question, then with a sudden scowl and brandishing of the infamous fan exclaimed, "Sit still you bottomless pit!!"

"But Sanzo!" 

They entered the forming crowd outside warily, but the three youkai they'd already met greeted them with smiles. Rinai carrying a plate full of pork buns, which she gave to Goku after he drooled all over them. Her eyes were alight with amusement, though Ookami frowned somewhat. Sanzo and Gojyo both groaned, and the monk pulled out the gold card that had carried all their finances throughout their trip. Once again Kazou waved him off.

"There is no need for that. We don't use money here, there's no one to trade with." The old youkai stated.

"Then what is this?" Sanzo asked referring to the accumulating crowd around the cluster of stalls that had been erected in the center of the town. 

"We gather each week and trade with each other," Ookami said gruffly. "And we share our surplus openly."

"There's plenty for everyone," Rinai added with another smile and gesture to Goku, for he had already consumed everything on the plate and was panting for more.

"You don't know-" Gojyo began with a smirk, but was interrupted as a young woman accidentally bumped into him. "Hey!"

The woman automatically apologized, her red hair falling about her face as she turned. Red eyes met red and she grinned suddenly, quickly amending, "or maybe I'm not." Smiling impishly, she moved off into the crowd. 

Gojyo look stunned. Goku broke his trance by exclaiming, "Ohhh, Gojyo! She likes you!"

The Kappa ignored him, but with a sudden smile casually said, "Sanzo, Goku, I'll see you later." And moved purposely off into the small gathering where the woman had gone. 

Kazou chuckled, but Ookami scowled, and taking Rinai's hand in his to leave stated curtly, "Enjoy the evening."

The elder youkai shook his head is distaste as the others moved off but smiling still, told them, "I apologize for my son's behavior."

"Your son?"

"Hai. It has been a long time since we've seen anyone here. And with all that happened," the old man paused, "He's not very trusting of anyone."

"Neither am I," Sanzo stated, but the youkai didn't answer him, and when he'd turned to Goku, his demeanor completely changed. "You can't just eat everything you see, bakasaru!!"

"But Sanzo!" Goku protested around a full mouth as he tried dodging the venomous fan. Somewhere along the way he had secured another plate of pork buns twice as high as the first while no one was looking. 

This time the dreams were different. They were still his memories, fluttering form one scene like random thoughts from his childhood past, but for as clear as the picture seemed, his focus was not. In the previous nights Hakkai had found himself recounting fragments of his past, parts from long before he lost Kanan. In the previous dreams Hakkai had felt more a part of them, he could feel what was happening as they went by.

Tonight was different. It was like he was watching it all from an outside perspective. They were still the same images, but some were more distant, and fuzzy on the edges. His mind instinctually tried to connect with what was going on, and when he couldn't, he tried to pull away, but that didn't work either. He was forced to merely watch, yet as he did, he felt like he was falling away from something. It didn't make much sense. Confusion flooded his mind, but it slowly died away as well and soon all that was left was the dream itself.

Hakkai opened his eyes to a darkened room. For a second all he could do was lay there, his mind refusing to focus, things seemed out of place, as if he was still in the dream. 

A subtle shift across his thighs drew his attention and the man look down the length of his body to meet the tiny red eyed gaze looking up at him, like jewels half hidden in shadows. Hakuryuu softly chirped an inquiry, but Hakkai didn't respond, didn't even smile. He felt numb inside and maybe a bit confused, but he wasn't sure. 

Noticing what he was wearing and realizing they weren't his own, Hakkai absently shifted the small white dragon and rose, immediately seeking the familiarity of his own clothes. It was then that he realized it was night, this would explain the darkness, his mind instantly reasoned, and like an automatic reaction glanced to the other bed and its occupant. The monk was on his side, the sheet only half covering him as he slept. 

Sanzo should have woken from his movements, why was he asleep? Hakkai's blurry mind questioned, but then the blond man opened his eyes. 

"Are you well now?" Sanzo questioned. 

"Hai." Hakkai responded instantly, but a part of his mind questioned if he really was. Hakkai finished dressing and reached for the door. 

"Where are you going?" 

Hakkai paused, he didn't know, but answered anyway, "I need a bit of air, I'll be back soon." Although he doubted it. 

Why was that?! The thought was like its own voice in his head, yet Hakkai could only reason that maybe he was still dreaming, and like a dream had little control over the events. 

Hakuryuu called out to the green clad man, but the door closed without a look back. Making a sound very close to a mourning cry, the red jewels turned to the monk imploringly. Sanzo's expression didn't change, but the monk asked the dragon dryly, "Do you believe him?" Hakuryuu didn't. And with a huff of annoyance, Sanzo quickly rose and dressed as well. 

The two followed at a discreet distance, the dragon hovering only just above Sanzo's shoulder so as not to be seen, but Hakkai didn't give any indication he knew they were back there. He wasn't looking back at all, and his walking was far from casual, Hakkai was heading somewhere. 

As they passed the outskirts of the town and entered a small path in the surrounding forest, Sanzo considered just grabbing Hakkai and forcing the man to tell him what was happening. He didn't get a chance, as Hakkai's pace only seemed to quicken when they entered the trees and Sanzo had to jog to keep him in sight. 

Ahead of them, a blue glow illuminated extra shadows within the forest. It was what Hakkai was heading for, Sanzo realized, but before he could do anything about it Hakuryuu let out a small cry of warning. Instinct alone sent the monk rolling to one side, a sharp whistling in his ear testifying how close it'd come before it stuck the tree behind him and Sanzo was moving again to avoid the rain of wooden projectiles as the tree exploded. 

"Annoying," Sanzo growled out, disgruntled for being interrupted. Gun in hand he scanned the trees noting the slight movement of shadows hidden in the branches. Firing, the shadow quickly moved out of the way, jumping from branch to branch with the agility of an animal. Sanzo followed the shadow with bullets till the gun clicked empty, but none seemed to strike their mark even though he was sure they had. 

Scowling even deeper as he refilled his gun, Sanzo kept his eyes open for his attacker, but that's when he realized the blue glow as well as any sign of Hakkai were gone. Feeling a bit more disturbed than before, the monk called out to the anxious dragon and they moved on, looking for any signs of their companion. 

Hakuryuu flew ahead of Sanzo, but the trees were dark and silent. When he came to a small clearing, the dragon circled restlessly until Sanzo caught up. This was where the odd glowing had originated, only there was no sign of anything that could produce that kind of light. He cried out worried. 

Sanzo was scanning the area, his gun at his side. He wasn't into wasting any more bullets on the shadow that followed until he was sure of what exactly he faced. He didn't have to wait long. 

A short youkai with tan skin and tan hair dropped out of the trees at the edge of the clearing. He smirked at the monk, leaning back casually against the tree truck, a sling in one hand and pouch at his waist. "So this is the great Genjo Sanzo. Doesn't seem like much, does he?" 

Sanzo turned slightly, backing up a bit to hold both his enemies in his sight as another youkai dropped from the trees on the other side of the small clearing. This youkai was considerably taller than the first and his hair was dark against the tawny colored skin, but there was a good amount of resemblance as well. He crossed his arms, sizing up Sanzo with some admiration. "I don't know brother, for a human to have killed so many youkai, it's got to mean something." 

The shorter youkai just snorted, and the other added, "but where are our manners, I'm Taro and this is my brother Yukio, you'll have to excuse his bad attitude. It's just that, we've never met a Sanzo before." 

Sanzo didn't care who they were, nor did he care about their mocking. "Where's Hakkai?" 

"Who?" But the smug smile that stretched across Taro's face told the monk all he needed to know. Sanzo pointed the exorcism gun at the man, and repeated the question. Taro didn't answer and with an expression of annoyance, Sanzo pulled the trigger. 

The bullet was aimed straight for the youkai's head and should have killed him, but then a strange thing happened. Instead of going straight, the bullet, at the last instant curved around the youkai, so exactly around that it imbedded itself into the tree behind Taro where it would have gone if it'd held straight on its coarse. Sanzo hadn't seen any kind of field to ward off the bullet, or anything that could have deflected it's coarse in such a way, but now his acute eyes picked up the faint blue glow as it died away from under Taro's shirt. 

Both youkai looked quite smug, but it was Yukio who laughed and all too gleefully stated, "This is going to be a fun fight!" 

***** 

A dream, this had to be a dream. 

No, it's not. And you've just trapped yourself and left your friends, the now irritatingly persistent voice in his head told him, but Hakkai just ignored it. He'd seen the blue glow ahead of him, felt it's vibrancy, felt it draw him to it. He'd entered the small clearing to find it awash with the blue light. At its center a strip of glowing light hovering in the air itself, as if some bolt of blue lightning had been captured in place. It was what had been calling him. 

He'd heard the sound of Sanzo's gun go off not to far behind, but Hakkai had ignored it, and despite the voice that was yelling in his head to leave, he'd stepped forward to reach out and touch the strange strip of light. 

The world had changed instantly and now he stood in the middle of an empty clearing not that unlike the one he'd been in before, except here, the strip of light was gone and there was a blue hue on everything. Foreign plants replaced familiar ones, and the normally solitary moon in the sky had a smaller companion. 

Noises caught his attention and Hakkai turned as Rinai emerged from the trees, her normally long dark hair shimmering with blue highlights in the new light. "Rinai?" 

She walked up to him, her eyes silently searching his, once again her face the expression it had been back at the lake shore, a mixture of anxiety and fear. "When the dreams started," she hesitated uncertain, then whispered, "I really wasn't sure it was you." A hand raised unconsciously towards his left ear, towards the youryoku limiters, intrigue entering to the mix of her visible emotions. 

Hakkai caught hold of the slender wrist before it could do any damage. She briefly resisted, and he was somewhat surprised to feel strength there, but she quickly relented. Hakkai felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle and he looked at the wrist he still held in a tight grip. A simple band of silver encircled her arm just below his hand. 

A youryoku limiter, the voice in his head realized, and Hakkai once again met the woman's gaze releasing her arm. It dropped silently to her side, but she didn't turn away. "I used to be human, too." She quietly told him. "I'm just like you, Cho Gonou." 

Hakkai found he couldn't respond, couldn't react, couldn't even say anything to either confirm or deny it. But that voice ridding with him in his head could. It wondered openly at who she was, the sense of familiarity, even in this foreign world, growing stronger with every moment. The dreams, the voice suddenly realized. They weren't his memories like he thought they were, they were her's. 

And then Hakkai felt he could remember a dark haired girl from his past. A girl that he'd known as a child, but not really. A quiet girl who clung to the shadows and didn't talk much to anyone. That was all he could remember. This was that girl? 

"What are you doing to me?" He suddenly asked, as if he had only now realized he wasn't fully in control. The voice in his head encouraged this idea. 

Rinai smiled hesitantly, her eyes brimming with relief or anticipation, he wasn't sure. "Come." She took his hand and led him into the trees, he went willingly, although the voice in his head remarked that it was a bad idea. 

"I lived so much of my life living only in my dreams," she told him as they walked, not following any path, but she seemed to know where they were heading. "When..." She paused, biting her lip as she glanced over at him. "When I became Youkai, I discovered that all that focus I was putting into my dreams could be transferred somewhat. Did you know that emotions are a lot like energy?" She asked suddenly. 

Hakkai didn't respond, but the voice mused over the prospect. Energy can be focused and manipulated, as can emotion, but emotion can't be controlled by another person...unless...if the connection between them was breached through the dreams, then...the dreams. She's been changing my emotions! Yet Hakkai didn't seem to find this information particularly alarming. 

They walked for a short time before they finally breached the trees, coming to the shore of a lake not unlike the one the Sanzo party had fallen into the day before. She let go of his hand and crouched down at the shore side, trailing her fingers through the brightly blue waters before looking back up at him. "This world, I'm not sure who was attracted to who, but a few months ago I found my way here through the dreams. Can you feel it? It's like it's alive." 

He could. Hakkai sat down next to her, once again meeting that gaze that was either relief or anticipation. "Where are we?" He asked, only mildly curious, but she just laughed, a soft chuckle that sounded more confident than she looked. 

"I don't know," she told him honestly. "I'm not even sure if it's real, but here it's like reality bends to its will." Then turning serious, once again she reached out for his ear. He didn't stop her this time, but she only fingered the ear cuffs before drawing her hand along his cheek. She kept searching his face as if tying to discern for herself if he was really there or not. "I could never have had Cho Gonou," she murmured. "But I intend to have Hakkai." 

The voice in Hakkai's head practically screamed at him to wake up, but Hakkai felt he could only do was seemed natural at the time and tilting his head met her lips in a kiss, his hand curling around the back of her neck as they leaned into each other. 

****** 

"Ouch! Hey, who said the dragon could join this fight?!" Yukio exclaimed and shot one of his fast exploding rocks from his sling at Hakuryuu in retribution for the small burn on his arm. One of Sanzo's bullets set the rock explosion off prematurely, saving Hakuryuu right before the monk had to once again dive to one side to avoid being hit himself. The flying weapon curved through the air , slicing where the monk had been only a brief moment ago before returning to Taro. It hadn't seemed like it should be such a sturdy weapon, but Sanzo's attempts to destroy the threat had only succeeded in diverting it from its original coarse. It sliced through anything it had come in contact with thus far, and yet always returned to Taro's waiting hand. 

Taro sent it whistling towards the monk without a second's pause, but Yukio was still consumed with his temporary rage at the white dragon that continued to spit fire at him when ever he could before darting out of the way of the deadly projectiles. Tree after tree exploded until finally it caught up with Hakuryuu and ricocheting wood splinters pierced the little dragon's wing. 

Sanzo had diverted the curved flying blade, but hadn't been able to do anything to help Hakuryuu and cursed silently when he heard the dragon's cry of pain, seeing him fall to the ground. Knowing it would be ineffective, he still shot off two rounds towards the far too gleeful acrobat. They both sliced through the wood of the branch the short man stood crouched on, and Yukio had to scramble to find a new perch. 

This was becoming intolerable. Sanzo knew there was no way to attack them from a distance, only Hakuryuu's fire had penetrated the strange field, as would a fist, Sanzo suspected. He wanted to check on the dragon, but there was nothing he could do now, and wishing for no further casualty to the creature, dashed into the trees in the opposite direction. Yukio mocked the monk for fleeing, but both he and his brother followed. 

On the forest floor, Hakuryuu cried softly in pain, but struggled to his feet, and bringing his impaled wing around began biting at the wooden spears. 

***** 

Goku rolled over, restless. This wasn't so unnatural, but it wasn't usually accompanied by a feeling of dread either. The saru woke, commonly twisted around his sheets, and uncommonly the sole occupant of the room. Gojyo still hadn't returned. It'd been a long time since Goku could remember the kappa being gone for an entire night. Maybe that was why he was having this feeling. Unconsciously he got up and dressed to go ask Sanzo. He would know. 

Yet when Goku found the other room just as void of people, he stopped in shock, a hand on the doorframe for balance. They're...gone! Did they all leave without me? He questioned silently, the dread he felt deepening with personal hurt. No! He cried with his mind, then again with his voice. "No! They would never leave without me. Not Sanzo! They must be in trouble!" And he spun from the room, determination driving his steps as he began searching. He'd look everywhere if he had too, but he'd find them and he'd help them! Yet he couldn't stop himself from wondering that if they were in danger, why hadn't they woken him in the first place? 

***** 

Gojyo sat up suddenly, the haunting thoughts of his past still hovering before his eyes as the sheet sank down to his bare waist. Taking an unsteady breath, he ran a hand through his bangs, feeling the hot sweat that clung to his skin like an extra layer. For a minute he could only stare at the red hair as it fell in front of his eyes, then more joined it, red hair just as fine as his and just a rooted in Taboo. 

"Gojyo?" The woman asked kindly, leaning in around him, her hand softly caressing his tense muscles. 

Turning, Gojyo looked into her red eyes, concern reflected in the irises as bold as blood. It was hard to look at her, even harder to know her, but he had. Like a craving he'd abhorred and desired all at the same time. 

"Gojyo?" She inquired again, truly worried now. 

"Akako, I ..." He trailed off, not sure how to say what he was really thinking. "I've got to go." He slipped out of the bed and grabbed his clothes that had been strung to the side in their passion. 

Akako hugged the sheet to her, imploring eyes beseeching what the matter was, but he wasn't about to answer. Sighing, she wryly smirked, commenting, "I knew it wasn't going to last long but I didn't think you'd want to leave like this. Most people usually consider me quite good in bed!" 

Gojyo paused in his dressing, frustration coloring his cheeks. "It's not that...it's not you. I..." Again he couldn't say, part of him wondered about it himself, but in truth he knew why he couldn't stay. There was too much of himself in her, too much that reminded him of all the things he wished he wasn't. If only he'd been all youkai...he let the thought trail off and almost frantically tugged on his boots. Since when was he the kind of guy to get all moody? He thought sarcastically. 

He was so focused on his laces that he hadn't noticed when Akako slipped from the bed until she was standing before him, her red hair falling once again in front of his face. He looked up and was surprised to find a smile on her face. "Arigato," she whispered and smiling deeper embraced him in a last passionate kiss that he couldn't resist returning. When they parted, she stepped back, clasping her hands behind her and simply stated, "Don't forget to say goodbye before you and your friends leave." 

"Hai." And then he was leaving, steadfastly walking away from her place back towards Kazou's where they were 'officially' housing for the night. Yet as soon as he could feel the warm night wind on his face he slowed his walking to a snail's pace. He didn't particularly want to get back all too quickly and diverted his path towards the edge of the town in the hopes that the longer walk would help him relax, help him forget. 

It was at the forest's edge that he first heard it, like a small echo on the wind. It was so faint at first that he thought he must be mistaken. But no, there it was again, the distinct sound of a gun, Sanzo's gun if he wasn't mistake considering all the times he'd heard it on this journey. Followed immediately after was another sound somewhat familiar. Gojyo moody thoughts evaporated instantly and he took off towards the near distant fight at a run. 

It wasn't long before he came across the ruins of trees and pockets of singed ground that blazed a clear trail of destruction. The sounds of the fight were clearer now but still a ways off. Gojyo was about to head towards it when another sound caught his more immediate attention and with a feeling of horror found the little white dragon amidst the forest ruins. 

Hakuryuu cried softly upon seeing Gojyo, a call that wretched at the kappa's heart. Blood dripped from the wound in Hakuryuu's wing and his muzzle, the red on white staining the sight into Gojyo's mind. "Hakuryuu, where's Hakkai?" He crouched down by the dragon, almost afraid to touch him for fear of hurting him worse. Hakkai would never have left the dragon, even in a fight. Hakuryuu just cried out again, dipping its head in pain, but still determined bent to bite at the last shred of wood still imbedded in the wing. 

Gojyo cursed, noticing now the bloody fragments of wood on the ground. "Ne, this is going to hurt," Gojyo told the dragon, then firmly grasped the wing, and as carefully as he could pried the remaining fragments out. He had to constantly wipe his hands to maintain a grip and cursed again when the wound bled fresh once the wood was completely removed. Thinking quickly, he pulled off the arm wrap he always wore and tied it around the injured wing. It would stop the bleeding at least. 

Hakuryuu had let Gojyo work in silence despite the obvious pain it caused, and his small frame now shook from the shock or blood loss, or however it is that dragons suffer from injuries. Gojyo knew he couldn't leave him there. Maybe if he could get to the fight, he could give his companions a little relief, which could give Hakkai enough time to heal the dragon. So Gojyo carefully picked up the little white creature and tucked him into the only place he could think off. Under his loose tank. He'd need his hands for fighting when he first got there, he was sure, but the plan was likely to work and Hakkai could take care of the dragon. Hakuryuu curled shaking against Gojyo's skin, creating but a small bulge under the shirt. 

Then Gojyo took off running again towards the sounds of the fight. It didn't occur to him that he hadn't yet seen any flares of energy common to Hakkai's youryoku attacks. 

-----


	3. Ieee!

Author's note: Okay, I was wrong, one more part after this, it's been a week, I'm a slow typer, and I haven't had nearly enough time with the compy as I'd hoped. *grumble* Oh and this story sure takes a right turn right about here. I'm not sure how it happened, I'm not even sure if it's consistant with the characters, or if it really ever was, but it's been interesting writing it anyway! O.o   
Thanks peeps for the great reviews. I'm horrible at giving reviews, when I get around to reading fics *grumbles some more about the inconceniences of real life* so I'm all that much more greatful, and...ya. okay...here's the fic. Hopefully the last part won't take so long to write. *Supposedly* I have another day or two off. 

-----

The memory flashed before his mind, the edges of it as blurred as his thoughts. He could see himself walking along the dusty roads of a mostly quiet village. He was several years younger than, a young man with bushy brown hair and glasses that perpetually slid down his nose. He had just left his school, he remembered. Other kids around his age were also heading to their homes, conversing in their usual level of exuberance and chatter common to teenagers.

He walked on, but stopped suddenly when he felt the light touch on his arm. Turning, he met the nervous eyes of a young woman. She was in a couple of his classes he thought, but her name wouldn't come to mind. She never talked. He was a little surprised to see her there. "Yes?"

She clutched her hands in front of her, automatically looking down as color tinted her cheeks. "Ah, Gonou, I was..." Her voice shook as she spoke. 

He waited for her to finish, curious why she seemed nervous, but was suddenly distracted when someone else called his name. Looking down the road he saw another young woman, hair as dark and soft as his. His eyes lit up instantly and a smile creased his face. "Kanan," he greeted warmly.

Her face was awash with her smile, warming his heart as she approached. "I have to go to the store. Would you come with me?" She asked him.

His immediate response would have been to the affirmative, but he remembered suddenly the girl who had been talking to him. Turning back, he was more than a little surprised to see that she had left. He didn't even feel her go. 

Kanan curled a hand around his arm, seeing the small frown on his face and asked concerned, "Gonou? What's wrong?"

But he didn't know. So, putting the thought out of mind smiled warmly at Kanan. "Nothing. Let's go." And they moved on down the street, her hand sliding ever so comfortably into his. 

*****

When Hakkai finally came back to himself, he felt sick. 

Rolling away from a body too warm, he grabbed at his clothes, but he'd barely dressed before he'd fallen to the ground in a fit of dry heaves. The separate voice that had been his awareness was no longer blocked from him and like a fog lifting Hakkai suddenly had a full view of what he'd just done. What crime he'd just committed. Grief washed through him, bringing with it deep pains of regret and a forbidden surge of rage. Squeezing his eyes tightly he wished even more desperately than before that this was all just some horrible dream. But the knots in his stomach told him otherwise. 

Realizing then just how weak he felt, Hakkai looked down at his shaking hands in surprise. Around his right wrist was a silver band imbedded with a small blue gem that glowed faintly in the clear moon light. He pulled at the object, searching for an unseen clasp that might take it off, but there was nothing he could find, and it was too small to slid away. The blue gem glowed even brighter with Hakkai's efforts and he was shocked to feel a literal pull of his energy as if the gem were sucking it directly out of him. 

Gasping, he fell forward again, clutching his aching stomach as another set of dry heaves shook his frame. When they subsided, he felt the light touch on his shoulder and immediately jerked away from it, his expression distorting with pain and anger. Turning those furious eyes upon Rinai, who'd knelt down beside him but made no motion to touch him again, Hakkai choked out bitterly, "Why?!"

Her gaze shook with that same fearful nervousness as the girl in his memory had, confirming that they were indeed the one and the same, but Rinai wasn't about to leave, and she told him, "I had no choice. In some ways I had as little control over this as you did."

Some of his anger fell away as he felt the sincerity of her words but he still stated coldly, "We always have a choice."

"Hakkai-" she began, emotion cracking her voice. Rinai instinctually reached out to touch his face again, but his hand rose to grip her thin wrist tightly as he had the first time, only now he was aware and now he wished nothing more than to crush it. She didn't protest, or cry out, or even try to pull it away, but endured the pain silently, merely biting her lower lip to keep quiet. 

Emotions warred within him as he watched her, wishing desperately to hear her tell him to stop, or fight back and give him some reason to hurt her more, or anything other than this acceptance of his punishment. Like an acceptance of her guilt. In the end it was his own shame that caused him to let go, and he practically pushed her away, inwardly alarmed at the sight of angry red burns on her wrist where his grip had been. He hadn't even realized his anger had focused his Ki like that.

Turning away he forced the concern to the back of his mind. She deserved it, he thought with full bitterness, and perhaps guilt on his own part, before struggling to his feet. He needed to leave, to get back to the others. He had no idea what was happening in the other world, but his mind now clearly remembered the sound of Sanzo's gun. 

"Hakkai, wait!" Hakkai ignored her and had almost made it the few steps to the forest's edge before he was stopped again. Startled, his gaze hardened even more when Ookami stepped out to meet him. 

The man no longer wore his limiter, his youkai features standing out in the blue hues of this dream world. The youkai's gaze shifted minutely from Hakkai to Rinai and back again as he shifted the long axe in his hand. A glowing blue stone was set in the middle of its head, not unlike the one in Hakkai's new and unwanted piece of jewelry. "I can't permit you to go back," Ookami stated gruffly. Hakkai didn't respond, although his body instinctually loosened for the fight eminent. He didn't know what this was all about, but he no longer cared. 

"Ookami, we don't-" Rinai began hesitant, but Ookami cut her off ordering, "Go back to the grove and wait for me, Rinai." Both men were locked in gaze now, waiting for the other to move.

It was only when Rinai stepped between them that they finally looked at her. It was a far cry from the shy and nervous woman Hakkai had known, her stance was solid and the fire in her eyes passionate as she glared from one to the other. "No. This isn't necessary," she growled out, addressing Ookami. "I've done what was asked of me, this fight doesn't need to happen!"

Hakkai was shocked to see such a change in the woman before him, and suddenly remembered what she had said to him before. 'I used to be human, too. I'm just like you, Cho Gonou.' Which meant that she had bathed in the blood of a thousand Youkai. But how? And why? Yet Ookami's next words sent all questions and thoughts tumbling to the wind.

"Then it's true. His seed is within you?"

The words drove home the dread that had been growing in his heart since he'd come back to full awareness. Hakkai felt sick again. A fresh wave of nausea tearing him up with its shock and grief at that revelation, and in its wake, the rage boiled. This just couldn't be happening! He thought frantically, but the memories swam back and the thought that he had betrayed Kanan wouldn't be quenched. 

Ookami had been watching him carefully as the emotions played across the normally peaceful man's face. "Rinai," he said with more softness than he was exhibiting. "He doesn't want to stop, and neither do I."

She glanced at Hakkai, once again reverting to that fearful hesitant countenance, but it vanished again a second later and bowing her head to them in resignation of the inevitable, she stepped back out of the way, although she refused to leave completely.

Ookami realized she wasn't going to leave and looked ready to say something to that effect, but instead just sighed, turning his full attention to his opponent. "I apologize, but I'm going to have to kill you."

The words stung with hot irony in Hakkai's ears, but he didn't respond. The usual smile and talk he met any fight or obstacle with were lost in the confusion of his mind. All that was left was a cold rage, and the rage never had any thing to say. 

His hand burned with the focused energy he formed, yet unfamiliar to him was the accompany tightness in his chest, the wash of weakness that flooded his veins, stemming, he was sure from the glowing blue gem at his wrist. Despite the new hindrance, determination hardened his will, and he sent the bolt of energy towards his opponent. 

Having been waiting for that to happen, Ookami was able to leap out of the way, but only just, and the energy flashed yellow as it seared the trees where Ookami has once stood. The second the youkai landed, he was running at Hakkai his axe raised above his head. Fighting against the strain the new inhibitor was placing upon him, Hakkai instinctually raised his hand, the green energy shield covering him, but it didn't give him the protection he'd expected. As the axe struck the energy barrier, the blue stone within the axe's head burst out with its own light and Hakkai felt it cutting through the barrier after only a moment's pause. 

Instincts saved him, convincing him to escape from the attack, but it wasn't a clean escape and Hakkai gasped sharply as the blade sliced through his side with the ease of cutting butter. Vial rose now with the taste of blood, and his body sagged from the increasing weakness. The gem at his wrist was draining more from him than he could accommodate for. His rage wavered ever so slightly with the thought that he just might not win. But that's never mattered before. And Hakkai pushed it all away, the pain, the grief...it was just him and his opponent. 

Ookami had spun to face Hakkai an expression of determination also consuming him. The youkai jumped to the side as another burst of ki burned through the air towards him. Then his weapon was in full swing and it was Hakkai's turn to move quickly. 

They fought like this for several long minutes, although to the opponent, it seemed more like hours. As the one attacked, the other would dance out of the way and counterattack. Hakkai tried to put more distance between them, but Ookami continuously closed the gap, his axe glowing fiercely each time it came in contact with Hakkai's blasts, slicing right through them and reducing their effect. 

With a quick twist of the hand, Hakkai managed to deflect the descending weapon and moving quickly kicked out the youkai's knee. Ookami let out a grunt of pain as he fell, but twisting his body also swung his weapon around using the momentum of the improvised swing to turn him the other way as he fell.

Hakkai could see the danger even as he tripped the youkai, but his muscles felt laden with lead and his chest and side were burning so bad he wasn't even sure if he was actually breathing anymore. So it was with motions too slow that he tried to move back. Fire laced across his thigh were the blade of the glowing axe sliced it, and with a growl of pain, Hakkai half sank to the ground, griping the wound with an already bloody hand. 

Wearily, both opponents got back to their feet.

The pain was throbbing in tune to his heartbeat, faster than it should have been and pounding in his ears like a persistent drum. Memories washed through Hakkai's mind, memories of the grief that had fueled his rage once before. Invariably, his eyes sought out the cause for all this, his eyes hardening as he found her watching silently from the sidelines. 

And then Ookami was descending and Hakkai had to move. He forced his limbs into action despite all their protests, moving more on instinctual knowledge of where they should go rather than because he could feel them actually moving. The youkai growled out his frustration as he continued to attack, Hakkai evading every step of the way.

This needs to end. The thought reverberated through his mind with an unerring stillness. He put out his hands grasping the axe's handle above Ookami's grip, stopping it midair above his head. His whole body strained against the strength of the youkai, it was quickly sapping whatever energy the inhibitor at his wrist had not. With a twist of his hands, Hakkai managed to pull the axe from the youkai's grip, loosing his own hold as well as it was flung to the side, but that didn't matter now. With determination fueling his movements, Hakkai succeeded in knocking them both to the ground in their struggle, his hand already warming with the collection of energy.

"No!" 

Rinai's pleading cry cut through the night like a knife to his heart. His resolve when to pieces and in that second the energy wavered. A second later pain as sharp as the grief pierced his heart, and whatever strength he'd had left fled. In shock, his green eyes, both blurring, looked down to the handle of the short knife that protruded form his chest. Blood was seeping from the new wound, and came out with a gush as Ookami yanked the blade back out again, letting Hakkai fall limply to the ground next to him. 

Blood. Hakkai could feel it on his tongue, feel it still trying to work its way through his veins. The blue tinge to this surreal world felt like a fog on his mind, a cold numbness that beckoned him to it. His now fuzzy vision focused on the only light he could see, the blue white moon above, the smaller, darker companion a shadow of reflection, like his thoughts. Detached, he could hear Rinai cry out again, heard as Ookami ordered her to leave, to go to the grove and wait. There was a rustle of leaves, and then silence.

Breath. The action was more than an automatic mechanism now, but he did it anyway. Then something blocked his view and he struggled to move as his gaze focused again on the man who'd won the fight. The fire of pain cursed Hakkai's body and it was with a light touch that Ookami was able to hold him down. The youkai was regarding him them, not with the want to kill as he had before, but with a look that had the odd combination of both respect and sadness.

"If we had fought under normal circumstances, I would undoubtedly have lost." Ookami told him with unerring conviction. "Only in this world where reality can be bent did I have a chance. I hope you understand, but I couldn't afford to loose to you, Hakkai-san."

"Finish it."

"Nani?!" Ookami questioned shocked, but as he regarded the dying man before him he realized it wasn't a request of pity. Hakkai's gaze had hardened again even as they shook with the effort to stay focused. 

He didn't like unfinished business. 

The youkai shivered under that gaze, but he shook his head, and saying simply, "Good bye," got up and left.

Squinting his eyes tightly shut, Hakkai's hand reached across his cringing chest to grasp the bracelet with sticky fingers. It burned at his touch, and a fresh wave of pain crossed his body. Letting go with a gasp, he lay back to gaze at the watching moons, deciding instead to just concentrate on breathing.

*****

The crescent end of the shakujou whistled ever so softly as it flew through the air, it's chain growing behind it as it soared directly for Yukio's head. He didn't have a chance, the aim was perfect, as it always was. But, like with Sanzo's bullets, something hidden beneath Yukio's chest glowed blue and the crescent blade went unerringly around its mark, the chain still snapping at the youkai's head as the weapon went taunt. 

Yukio bit off an angry remark in surprise, and Gojyo who'd only just entered the fight paused startled. That was not at all what he expect to have happen.

"Baka!" Sanzo snapped trying to get the kappa's attention but unsuccessful raced ahead of Taro's weapon, catching his companion around the midriff throwing them both to the ground as it whistled above their heads. Something squirmed beneath the monk's hand. Startled, Sanzo backed away as they rose to their feet. "Gojyo, what --" 

Hakuryuu's cry answered the question and Gojyo quickly added, "I found him back there," pointing into the trees behind him. "What's going on Sanzo? Where're the other's?" His red eyes had quickly scanned the area, noting the amount of damage, but the absence of his friends, either injured or alive. 

"How the hell should I know?" Sanzo growled out with growing annoyance. He fired off two shots that redirected the curved weapon aimed for them as it came around once more. Feeling a bit more satisfied after that he added, "Hakkai's in trouble. He's not himself. I think."

"You think?!" Gojyo exclaimed.

"Hey, what is this!" Yukio exclaimed dropping to some lower branches though still rubbing the back of his head with a continued grimace. "Why are you guys 'chatting'! We're in the middle of fight here!"

"Yukio," Taro admonished, also dropping down to catch his weapon as it returned. "Gojyo-san just got here, it's only polite to let them catch up." 

Yukio made a sound much like a whine while Gojyo exclaimed, "How do you-" he broke off growling out instead, "Never mind! It won't make a difference soon anyway."

The smaller youkai's eyes lit up at the challenge. "At last!" He exclaimed, "I was getting bored of the monk!"

"Urusai!" Sanzo's bullets tore through the branch Yukio stood upon and the youkai had to quickly change perches. The crescent blade of Gojyo's shakujou was once again followed after. "It can't hit him directly!" Sanzo warned.

"Hai," With a sharp twist the blade sliced instead at the branch Yukio aimed to land on and the startled Youkai fell instead to the ground. He brother called out to him in alarm but Sonzo blocked his path distracting the larger youkai with more bullets at each branch he jumped upon.

Gojyo was on top Yukio in an instant, grabbing the small youkai but the rim of his shirt and lifting him easily into the air. "I bet you're not bored now, ne?," Gojyo told him with grin, but the youkai was grinning back which disturbed Gojyo. He was about to reach for the glowing blue object under the youkai's shirt when Hakuryuu cried out and in the next instant an explosion blew them apart. 

Gojyo hit the ground hard, his back and shoulder's taking the impact while he instinctively curled protecting the already injured bundle hidden under his shirt. The explosion had knocked the air out of him, started a ringing in his ears, and made his skin incessantly itchy, but for the most part he seemed to be okay. The small youkai, who'd set off the explosion in the first place, was getting unsteadily to his feet, shaking his head as if trying to clear it.

"Yukio!" Taro once again cried out in alarm, and dodging Sanzo's bullets managed to jump to his brother's side. Grabbing the unsteady man around the waist to support him, Taro lifted them both to the protective reaches of the tall trees with several powerful leaps. Sanzo leveled his gun at them, meeting Taro's angry gaze. "This fight is done! For now." Taro stated, then keeping his brother upright moved quickly out of sight. 

Sanzo lowered his gun and turned back to the Kappa also unsteadily getting to his feet. "Eh? Why'd you let them go?" The Son of Taboo questioned annoyed, then stopped suddenly, his eyes widening slightly as he met the monk's watching gaze. "Eh, Sanzo?"

"Yes?"

There was long pause and a mournful 'kuru' from the hidden dragon before Gojyo replied in a voice of uneven tone as if he were questioning his own words. "Sanzo. I don't think I can hear."

Sanzo groaned. This was just what he needed! "Let's find Hakkai and get Goku." He stated.

"What?"

"...." Sanzo turned sharply, a useless remark on the tip of his tongue as he headed back into the trees towards the spot this fight had first begun. He hadn't walked more than a few steps before the same bright blue glow that had breached the forest when Hakkai went missing once again illuminated the way.

"Nani?"

"Let's go." Sanzo needlessly ordered as the raced towards it.

*****

Goku had searched a fair bit of the town, disturbing residents from time to time as he did, before entering the surrounding forest. He couldn't reason why they would go anywhere without him, but the sounds of a fight soon caught his hearing and he raced into the trees at breakneck speed. 

Why didn't the wake him? The thought persisted in his distress, and suddenly a fresh smell caught his attention. It was a smell that haunted him, even more so when he didn't know what was happening. It was the smell of blood, too muddied and distant to tell more than that but it was enough to cause him to stop.

The fight was off to his left, but the smell came from ahead to the right. He wanted to help his friends, but what if someone had been hurt? What if it was Sanzo? The thought was enough to change his direction and it wasn't long before he entered the scene Gojyo had only recently departed with a cradled Hakuryuu in hand. 

Here many smells lay siege to his senses. It was then that the blue light burst through the trees, much closer to Goku than to the others and the saru raced towards it like a moth drawn to a flame. Seconds later he was at the edge of the small grove, eyes fixated on the strip of energy hovering midair. To his amazement he watched as someone seemed to step directly out of the strip of light. It was Ookami, in his youkai form and looking extremely displeased. 

The sight of the youkai shocked Goku, but not because he was in youkai form, rather because the man's clothes were splotched with blood. And not just any blood, but Hakkai's. Goku knew the various smells of all his friends. Anger surged up within him. What was happening? His mind pleaded in fury and indecision. Ookami would know, he reasoned, and was about to attack the youkai to demand answers when the light began to flicker, and he stopped again. 

His mind reasoned a thousand things in that small second, but foremost was if Ookami smelt of Hakkai, Hakkai's blood, which meant he was hurt, and if Ookami had just came through the light, it stood to reason Hakkai was also inside the light. First he'd find Hakkai, then he'd find Sanzo and Gojyo. Or Sanzo would find him. He somehow felt confident of this fact. 

In that selfsame second Ookami had slipped away unnoticed into the trees, completely unaware of the hidden saru. That was the final point to solidify his decision as Goku raced towards the fading strip of blue light. As he touched it with an outstretched hand, a whole new set of sensations washed through him. Yet amidst the blue light of the transfer he thought he heard Sanzo calling his name and his mind said smugly to itself. I told you he'd find us!

"Bakasaru!" Sanzo cursed as the light died away leaving the small grove empty except for two fuming companions and one injured dragon crying in protest. They reached the light in time to see Goku diving into it before it vanished once again from sight taking the boy with it. Sanzo had called out to Goku, but it'd done no good. 

"What happened?" Gojyo demanded, louder than he needed too, but the kappa didn't know that. 

Sanzo let out a string of expletives and turning sharply headed back for the village, an equally frustrated Gojyo trailing behind him. Someone was going to die for all this! The monk promised himself. 

*****

Goku stood in the center of the grove confused. It looked the same, sort of, okay not really, but he'd swear it was where he was. Er...his mind fought vainly to wrap itself around the idea. All his senses were telling him this was the same spot, only different. Sure, the different color to the moon, the fact that there was a *second* moon should tell him this was not the same place, but it was. 

Shaking his head, he pushed the thoughts aside. The smell of blood was stronger here, almost overpowering. He let his nose guide him and soon found himself braking the forest edge where the lake was. The same lake they'd fallen into only the day before. But again, it was different, even as it was the same, the blue moon light washing the water with a different kind of light.

His eyes scanned the grassy sides, his breath catching as he realized certain dark shadows were splotches of blood, and then his eyes fell upon the still figure of Hakkai, the same dark shadows covering his friend as they covered the ground. 

"Hakkai!" The saru raced up to the man falling down by his side. Blood, there was so much blood! He instinctually identified the three open wounds, two of which were still freely flowing. Goku had seen enough injuries to know that the bleeding had to stop so he covered the wounds in Hakkai's side and chest, pushing on them as if he could force the blood to go back in. 

The pressure caused Hakkai to groan and regain a small bit of consciousness. A hand weakly raised to ward off the new menace until glazed eyes finally focused on the boy leaning over him. He sagged back, dread and relief washing through him with the next wave of pain. "Goku," he whispered.

"Hakkai!" Goku exclaimed in relief, usually consciousness was a good indication. They were always waiting for people to wake before saying they were better. Did this mean Hakkai would get better? His instincts told him otherwise. "Hakkai, what happened?"

The man's green eyes glazed over again while shivers shook his body. "Goku," Hakkai struggled to say, the taste of his own blood making speech difficult. "You need...to leave."

"Hai, Hakkai. We need to leave. Find Sanzo and Gojyo. Sanzo'll know what to do." Goku felt confused, what was Hakkai saying? Leave without him? He couldn't do that!

Hakkai could easily read Goku's troubled thoughts in the boy's pleading gaze and a smile creased his lips in kind, but he also knew he was at his end, any energy that hadn't been stolen from him was completely depleted, and there was nothing he could do about it. Closing his eyes against the increasing pain, Hakkai whispered, "Goku, you need to go." Then at last he let himself fall into the darkness that surrounded him. Maybe now he could finally see Hell? He wondered. Now that he'd committed the worst he could, now that he'd disgraced Kanan. 

"Hakkai?" Goku whispered. More alarmed by the soft smile the man had left him with than anything else. "Hakkai?" he called again a little louder now, shaking the man's shoulders, but Hakkai's eyes didn't open, and the smile had faded from sight. Hesitant with fear, the saru felt for a pulse, finding only the barest of fluttering against his touch. "Hakkai!" He yelled, shaking harder, determined to wake the man if he could. He had to wake up! He just had to!

When there was no response, Goku sank completely to the ground, his chin resting on folded arms and knees as he numbly stared at the still body of his friend. The wounds he'd been covering had stopped flowing with blood, but Goku wondered now if his efforts had done any good. Doubt mingled with grief, wetting the boy's eyes. Goku continued to stare, unable to fathom anything else to do. He couldn't just leave!

The blue glint of the stone on the silver band drew his eye, but it took several long moments for the realization to seep in. It looked like just an ordinary bracelet, yet Goku knew how deceiving jewelry could be, and Hakkai's ear cuffs were still in place. Hakkai would never just let himself die! Not anymore! The thought encouraged Goku and he reached for the silver band, recoiling a bit as it burned his fingers. 

Determined, he gripped the band with both hands, ignoring the fire it returned at his interference. With a cry of effort he pulled in opposite directions till all at once the bracelet broke, the blue jewel shattering from the separation. Goku hurriedly tossed the pieces away sitting back again and panting. It was been strong, and if he hadn't been mistaken, the bracelet had felt alive. 

He sat waiting anxious for some sign that it had helped, then he saw Hakkai's chest rise and fall with a rush of breath, and Goku likewise imitated the action in relief. "Hakkai!" Goku called again, the smile of success spreading across the saru's face. Hakkai still didn't respond, but when Goku felt for a pulse, it was stronger than it had been. He sat back happy, and perhaps a bit hungry. Then two new thoughts entered his mind. 

Now what? And where is Sanzo?

------

Cairis: Ha! Thought I was going to kill him didn't you?! 0.o Okay, maybe not...*Cairis looks around at the people giving her strange looks* What? It's a weird story, I'm in a weird mood! *grumbles and walks away* 


	4. Who was driving?

Author's Note: Hey, okay, so this is the last piece of this fic, sorry for taking so long between parts. *Cairis wonders if Sanzo's gun would be as effective on RL problems as it is on youkai.* If I could just barrow it...*Cairis slowly backs away from the grumpy looking monk* er...skip that idea. 

------

The monk was growling out obscenities. Gojyo couldn't hear them, but he could tell. 

The ringing in the kappa's ears had started to die away, either that or he was becoming more used to it, but in any case, it didn't seem so loud to him anymore. He couldn't make anything else out, a bit of his own voice, but that was it. 

A wiggling against his chest reminded the kappa of the burden he carried, reminding him of just how he'd found the dragon and once again bringing to the surface all the questions he had that still hadn't been answered. Like why hadn't Hakuryuu been with Hakkai, and what the Hell did the monk mean by 'Hakkai's not himself?' Had his limiter's broken? Gojyo had never actually seen Hakkai without them, but if it was anything like with Goku, he could see how Hakkai would 'not be himself.' 

No, Gojyo thought stubbornly. Goku was different. The monk had to have meant something else. And speaking of Goku, what the Hell was that monkey thinking!

Sanzo's eyes darted from place to place, his hand still gripping his gun at his side just in case. They broke the line of trees at the edge of the village and stopped. A small gathering of disgruntled townsfolk were waiting, and although half of them *were* youkai, none of them seemed to want to fight and were more afraid than anything with the sudden appearance of Sanzo and Gojyo. 

The gun made an audible click in the night as Sanzo automatically raised and cocked it at Kazou. The old youkai wasn't phased in the least bit and calmly approached the two, the red haired woman a step behind, although a little more alarmed. "Kazou-sama," she cautioned, but he waved her to silence, still holding Sanzo's gaze.

"It was my son, wasn't it?" He asked simply.

Sanzo's eyes narrowed, and he responded. "Two youkai, brothers." 

The woman gasped in shock, but Kazou was shaking his head in remorse, not at all surprised. Then the youkai turned to the rest and stated, "Go back to bed, all of you."

"But Kazou-sama-" One of them began to protest.

"There's nothing we can do. The situation will resolve itself," Kazou assured them. With a few more murmuring protests, the rest of the group shuffled off to their own homes, leaving just Kazou and the red haired woman, Akako. 

Throughout, Sanzo hadn't bothered to lower his gun. He did now. "Where are our friends?"

"You can't seriously believe we had anything to do with this!" Akako stated angrily, her eyes flickering constantly to Gojyo as if trying to decide if he blamed her as well. Yet the kappa's face remained locked in an angry scowl. She frowned and took a half step towards him. Kazou stopped her with a gentle touch. 

The youkai shook his head and answered Sanzo openly, "I don't know. We saw the lights in the forest and knew something was going on. We've seen the blue light before, but no one here knows what it is."

"It's that female youkai killer!" Akako bit out, crossing her arms and half turning away, but still watching Gojyo wearily. 

"What?" Sanzo questioned sharply. Gojyo tensed beside him in response.

"Rinai, she's a youkai killer turned youkai," Akako told him, a challenge to her tone as her red eyes flashed dangerously at the monk, daring him to not believe her.

"Akako!" Kazou rebuked. "We don't hold people's past against them. Not here." He stated firmly. 

Yet the red head persisted, "You know as well as I do that Ookami follows her everywhere! And the blue light show started up after she came here. It only makes sense!" Kazou's frown deepened at Akako's obvious dislike, but then he sighed and nodded. 

"Where would they be?" Sanzo quickly asked. 

Akako gave the monk a winning smile, her eyes shining far too eagerly with malice, "There's a place outside of town they often go, as well as the two who attacked you. I'll be happy to show you." Although, as her eyes glanced at Gojyo's still sour disposition, she frowned. 

"Let's go." Sanzo was impatient to go, and motioned for her to lead the way, but he turned to look at Gojyo as the kappa stopped him with a light touch on the arm.

"Ne, Sanzo. Hakuryuu." Gojyo reminded the monk, and to make clearer his point pulled out the squirming white dragon. The ruff bandages where already soaked through and it was obvious Hakuryuu was not a happy dragon. Sanzo just looked at Gojyo, what did the kappa expect him to do?

Kazou stepped towards the Gojyo. "Let me take the creature. I have some knowledge of healing. I will look after him. He will not come to harm."

Sanzo regarded the youkai wearily, but Hakuryuu let out a tiny sound and struggled towards the old man's outstretched hands. That seemed good enough for Gojyo and the kappa handed the injured dragon over.

Shaking his head, Sanzo motioned to Akako to once again lead the way. They were wasting time!

***** 

The darkness felt cold. Colder than he'd expected. It hadn't started out cold, why would it feel cold now? Was it going to get warm again? They never talked about the ice-cold pits of Hell, it was always the fire pits of Hell. He was sure of that. At least, he thought that's what they always said. Maybe the Gods just didn't know what Hell was really like. They might just be assuming it was hot because pain so often felt like fire. That would make sense, and it's not as if the Gods would have any real reason for visiting Hell to find out, now would they?

Pain cursed through him. Ah, yes, there we go. Now it would get hot. His mind mused in the blackness. But it didn't, and the pain increased his awareness with each aching throb. A lot like a heart beat. This confused him no end.

It wasn't long before Hakkai actually rose back to consciousness. Far sooner than any normal person would, an aspect in common with all the Sanzo-Ikkou. He opened his eyes with a groan and was genuinely surprised when he found two golden spheres anxiously looking down at him. Not at all what he'd expected. 

"Hakkai! You're awake! Are you better?" Goku asked nervous.

Was he better? Hakkai pondered this question. His limbs no longer felt lead heavy, nor was his chest burning with the intensity of draining his life away. No, it was burning with something else, good honest pain. It wasn't the only thing that hurt, and as he struggled to sit up, the effort seemed to tax whatever energy he'd miraculously regained again. 

With a smile, Hakkai glanced down at his bare wrist, already knowing the bracelet would be gone, then up at the saru. "Domo, Goku." He told the boy, earning a wide grin in response. Then Hakkai tried to get all the way up to his feet and quickly realized he couldn't. 

Goku was quick to solve the problem and sliding a hand around Hakkai's waist practically lifted him straight up. Hakkai almost successfully bit back his cry of pain as the sudden grip and movement pulled at his wounds. A wave of shock momentarily passed through him, but quickly returned to the sum of deep aches and pains he'd automatically tallied in his head. 

"Sorry," Goku quickly apologized and reactively half stepped away, only to return when Hakkai nearly collapsed on the spot. "Hakkai?" He asked concerned, frowning deeply. Maybe moving wasn't such a good idea, but Hakkai had wanted up? Hakkai was also shaking, and couldn't stand, and his skin was ice cold to the touch. All of this didn't seem good in Goku's mind. He knew body's got cold from snow, or ice, or when they were dead, but Hakkai wasn't dead now. 

Hakkai's eyes were squeezed shut as he concentrated on his breathing. His body didn't want to move, and a part of his mind wanted to just go back to sleep. But he knew if he allowed that, he'd never wake again. Only a few moments before he'd thought he'd already entered that deep sleep, why was he avoiding it so hard now? But he knew. It was waking up to see those golden eyes watching him, waiting. They had a mission to complete. 

"We have to find Sanzo and Gojyo." Hakkai breathed out, his strained expression clearing into a smile, if a little strained one at that. 

Goku was immensely relieved, although inwardly still worried, and eagerly questioned, "After we find them, can we eat? It's nearly morning and I'm starving!" His stomach added to this complaint.

Hakkai would have laughed if he could, but it was taking all his effort to walk, even with Goku more than half carrying him along. The two entered the trees, leaving the silent blue lake to its blooded grounds. 

When they reached the empty grove it was as silent and still as the rest of the forest. Only the faint light of the waning moon showed anything, even the soon to rise sun wouldn't be any help. Hakkai sighed. He wasn't sure what he'd expected to find anyway. He didn't know how Rinai and Ookami had traveled from one place to the other, although he suspected it had something to do with the blue gems. 

Goku grunted, startled, as Hakkai suddenly collapsed in his arms. He quickly lowered the man to the ground, propping him against a tree. Hakkai's eyes were closed but his breathing irregular and he visibly flinched telling Goku Hakkai was still awake. "Hakkai?" He asked hesitantly. The man looked up. Goku wasn't sure if it was the odd light here that seemed to put unnatural shadows on everything, but Hakkai's eyes seemed duller than normal, and his skin was gray, almost...lifeless. "Ne, Hakkai? What is going on? What is this place? It feels like the forest around the village, but it isn't." 

"I think it's some sort of dream world," Hakkai told him. He closed his eyes again and took a slow breath. "Created somehow by Rinai's youryoku, so concentrated it manifested itself."

"Rinai?" Goku fought with Hakkai's explanation, clearly not understanding. "But the blue rock in that bracelet, it was alive."

Alive? Yes, she had said it felt alive here. She'd also correlated emotions with energy, and what is life if not without emotion? "This place, it bends reality," Hakkai said suddenly, his mind furiously working against the sluggishness of his thoughts. "And the blue gems are concentrated ki energy."

"They did this to you, didn't they?" 

Hakkai looked at the Goku sharply, startled by the saru's anger. Smiling and sighing, he leaned his head back against the tree. He felt so extremely tired. "It doesn't matter, Goku."

"But it does matter! They hurt you!" Goku adamantly stated, even more alarmed because of Hakkai's reaction. Why wasn't he angry? Why was he so calm? Even for Hakkai, this was more than normal. Goku stubbornly persisted, "I saw Ookami, he was covered in your blood Hakkai!"

That explained how Goku got here, Hakkai thought wearily. He'd hoped that the door from this surreal world to reality had remained open. But Goku had survived five hundred years alone in a stone prison and at some point Ookami or Rinai would return. Goku would be fine. If all else fails, Hakkai was sure Sanzo and Gojyo would find a way to get to the boy. 

Hakkai was forced out of his thoughts but the sudden pressure against his chest. He gasped, startled green eyes meeting angry golden ones. Goku, crouched not an inch away, gripping Hakkai's bloodied shirt, had pulled him ruffly towards him. The boy relaxed his grip a little when Hakkai finally responded, relief washing through his glowing eyes, but with a voice breaking with fear and emotion, he demanded of green clad man. "Don't die on me Hakkai! That would be ultra-uncool!"

Again stunned, for a moment Hakkai could only gaze into those golden spheres. So much innocence, and yet... He smiled, raising an unsteady hand to the boy's shoulder. "Hai, Goku." Goku released him then, sighing almost as deeply as Hakkai did. But Then Hakkai frowned, and quietly asked, "You saw Ookami?"

"Hai. Here, er, the other here. He looked mad. I was going to ask him where you were, but then the strange light started to fade." Goku replied. Startled, he jumped forward as Hakkai suddenly strained to get back up. 

The man's face was a mix of bitter anger and pain, and his voice barely a whisper as he gritted out, "Then, Rinai is still here!"

"Nani?!" Goku quickly looked around as if expecting her to appear out of the trees right then and there. "Where?" 

"Goku," Hakkai said, taking deep breaths as he now stood leaning against the tree. "Can you..."He wasn't sure exactly what to ask, could Goku track her somehow with all his extra youkai senses? Hakkai was youkai as well, but all he could smell was his own blood, and sensing anything right now was plain out of the question! 

Yet the saru seemed to know what Hakkai was asking, and frowning deeply, whether from worry or concentration Hakkai wasn't sure, but the boy circled the edges of the grove sniffing here, touching a leaf there, before he declared, "Hai Hakkai. She went this way!"

Hakkai didn't bother asking Goku how he knew, or what it was the saru was even tracking. Instead he nodded, and with determination pushed himself away from the tree. Goku was at his side in an instant, but Hakkai used the saru's help as lightly as possible. The bitter rage was rising again, giving fuel to his steps.

It was still a slow journey through the forest, and they covered quite a distance before they found anything. Although it wasn't what they'd been expecting.

*****

Akako looked over her shoulder at Gojyo. He returned the look steadily, but he hadn't said one word to her the whole time and was careful to keep his face now devoid of emotion. Frowning a little, she turned to the monk telling him. "Just up ahead. It's a clearing they use for practice with a small old house they renovated in the back."

"You should go back now," Sanzo told her.

Normally she would have given the dour priest a quick quip about how she could take care of herself, or how he could at least thank her, but another glance at the silent kappa stilled her tongue. She held his gaze as she turned to leave only to sharply look away as she passed.

Gojyo inwardly sighed, but then jumped, and turning, found Akako intently frowning at him as she caught his arm.

"Gojyo-san. I don't know what is wrong with you, but-"

"He can't hear you," Sanzo interrupted annoyed and impatient.

Akako glanced at the monk startled, realizing he was serious. She turned back to the red eyes, now seeing the silent pleading within and a sudden smile spread across her face. She leaned in and gently kissed Gojyo quickly on the lips before the surprised kappa could pull back. "Well in that case," she murmured, "I'll see you in a bit, to help you get better."

"Akako, I..." Gojyo began uncertain, but she laughed and trotted off back the way they'd come. Gojyo frowned, then sliding up next to the monk stated, "Sanzo, later you must tell me what she said."

Sanzo just made a noise of increasing impatience and they moved on up the path to the clearing Akako had told them about. At the top they found the three youkai so engrossed in their argument they didn't even notice Sanzo and Gojyo's arrival. 

"We can't stay here, Ookami!" Taro stated angrily. They were talking by the side of a small well, the younger brother off the side, practically bouncing on his feet, but with an almost drunken sway to it.

Ookami now looked like the youkai he was, inclusive of the near insane expression on his face. He was using water from a nearby bucket to wash his face and hands. His clothes were clean but they weren't what he'd been wearing at the beginning of the night and looked more like he'd only just put them on in exchange for others. More disturbing was the color of the water in the bucket. 

"I'm not leaving until I find Rinai," Ookami growled out.

"Forget about her!" Taro snapped at him, realizing too late it was a mistake. In a second, Ookami had the other youkai pushed against the well and his axe under Taro's neck.

"Hey hey, what are you doing?!" Yukio exclaimed far louder than he needed to, and telling his condition to be similar to Gojyo's. "We have to get going before they show up!"

"Eh, they look like a regular happy family, don't they?" Gojyo commented with a smirk and drawing the youkai's attention. Even Yukio spotted them now and groaned before smirking and calling out loudly in an obvious challenge to Gojyo. "Yo! Son of Taboo! You're only half a fighter like you're only half youkai!" Only Gojyo couldn't hear it, which was probably a blessing right now since Yukio's shouted insults were more annoying than creative. 

Taro unconsciously groaned, but it had broken the tension and Ookami released him to turn his full attention on the newcomers. The youkai's face was dark with determination, his eyes glowing with anger on the border of insanity. "If you're wise, leave now. I have no business with you."

"You're wrong." Sanzo fired his gun at the youkai, and like it did with the others, the shot when around instead of through his target. He'd seen the faintly glowing blue gem in Ookami's axe, the same glow that tended to surround the other two, but he'd wanted to find out if that was the cause for himself. Sanzo didn't lower his gun despite his bullet's apparent ineffectiveness, and questioned, "Where is Hakkai and Goku?"

"Goku?" Ookami had confidently stood still as the bullet went around him, and now regarded the priest mildly with those near insane eyes. He laughed. "That bottomless pit? I don't know. But if he's with Cho Hakkai, then you should forget about them and continue on your journey, Genjo Sanzo." Ookami drawled out Sanzo's name like an insult, a malicious grin playing across his lips as he did.

"What do you mean?" Sanzo demanded.

The grin didn't leave the youkai's face, and his eyes narrowed hungrily. "Exactly what I said, Cho Hakkai is no more."

"I'll kill you," Sanzo growled out.

Ookami laughed, then raced towards them, his axe raised for a lethal swing. Sanzo and Gojyo both jumped out of the way, but Ookami had his eyes locked on the monk and followed him with his every move. The voice of insanity giving him the speed and strength to keep up. 

Annoying! Sanzo silently growled, moving away from each attack by only a hair's breadth. After a few moments of these Sanzo found an opening and made to slam his fist into the Youkai's side. Or would have, but Ookami had made the opening on purpose and was now leaping backwards out of the way. 

A soft whistle pierced the air and Sanzo also leaped back, the curved blade of Taro's weapon slicing the monk's robes as it soared by. Sanzo was a little surprised by this intervention, misjudging their previous actions to mean they were now against each other, he wouldn't make that mistake again.

Taro, as if reading the monk's thoughts, grimly told him. "Ookami is still my Master." 

Ookami didn't comment, but charged again at Sanzo. Bullets rang out to meet him, harmlessly going around as they did before, one even seemingly sliced by the axe blade itself. Sanzo swore, and once again dodged the descending weapon before dodging the other as it flew towards him. Sanzo swore again. What was Gojyo doing? But a few nonsensical shouts and small explosions answered that question.

"Get back down here you idiot!" The kappa yelled hotly up the tree Yukio had managed to get into. 

"Your hair is as red as a rotten tomato!" The small youkai screamed back throwing another of the exploding rocks.

Gojyo avoided its damage and grimacing, angrily stated, "If you're not going to come down on your own, I'll bring you down!" He drove the shakujou's flat blade into the trunk of the tree. It took a couple of powerful sweeps with the weapon, but soon the wood was creaking and the youkai inside searching for a new perch. Midway through his leap, the shakujou's crescent blade appeared and circled the youkai, its chain unhampered as it wrapped around the youkai and yanked him hard to the ground. 

Once the kappa was upon the yourkai, Gojyo grinned and murmured, "Now, where were we?"

Yukio struggled from his temporary bonds and somehow managed to avoid Gojyo's fist, but not the kick that followed. The youkai slammed into the ground from the force of the impact and in a second suddenly found Gojyo's crescent blade pinning him down by his neck. "I doubt this will miss now," Gojyo stated with a growl. He pushed down. There was resistance for a moment, a burst of energy surging up through the staff of the shakujou and burning Gojyo's hands, but he ignored it and pushed harder. A second later the glowing blue item below Yukio's shirt shattered, and Yukio was dead. 

Sanzo had been in the middle of calling on the sutra when he heard Taro scream out Yukio's name. Breaking off the murmured words, Sanzo rolled away form the descending axe and landed a kick to Ookami's midsection. The monk was on his feet and aiming even as Taro raced towards the unaware Gojyo, but his finger stayed. If the bullet went around Taro as it was sure to do, it'd hit Gojyo. "Gojyo-!" Sanzo yelled out in warning but his cry ended in a grunt as Ookami's axe hilt barreled into his side. Then youkai and human were rolling around on the ground together, both fighting for control.

Taro had his weapon in hand the way one might hold a knife. Insanity bred in his eyes as he watched his brother die and with a savage cry the kappa couldn't hear, he leaped to attack.

A blur appeared in the air with the youkai and there was a flash of red before something hard struck Taro, right in the chest, aimed directly at the hidden blue gem. It, like the other, exploded and the red staff continued it's plunge, until Taro, like his brother, was dead. 

The movement caught Gojyo's attention and he spun, weapon raised as Goku appeared at his side, a fierce scowl creasing the boy's face. Gojyo was surprised and elated to see the saru, especially as he realized what had just happened. "Goku! Where the Hell have you been?!" Gojyo yelled good-naturedly.

"Me?!" Goku exploded, pent emotion now running free. "You guys are the ones who're having all the fun! Why didn't anyone wake me?!"

"Eh, nani?" Gojyo questioned oblivious to Goku's answer as well as confused about the anger still stretched across the saru's face. 

Hearing the saru's voice brought a rush of emotions Sanzo'd rather not admit to, but the burst of energy that peeled the youkai from him and sent Ookami flying across the field was enough to put everything at ease in the monk's mind. Sanzo got back to his feet and looked to the edge of the trees the blast had originated from. There was Hakkai, looking like death itself, but alive. "Are you well now?" Sanzo asked him for the second time that night. 

"I have one last thing to do," Hakkai replied, not even a hint of a smile in sight.

Sanzo nodded, and moved to the side to join Goku and Gojyo. 

"What the Hell, Hakkai!" Gojyo exclaimed as Hakkai, looking more like he should have collapsed hours ago, steadily approached the remaining youkai. Burnt hand tightening into fists Gojyo was about to intervene when Sanzo stopped him. "Get out of my way, monk!"

"No Gojyo, this is Hakkai's business."

"But Sanzo...!" Goku exclaimed. The protest died away in a conflict of emotions as Sanzo gave him a meaningful but silent look. Gojyo tensed and Sanzo wondered idly if he'd have to knock the kappa down, but the red haired man seemed to understand and didn't make any more attempts to go. 

Satisfied, Sanzo turned his attention to the fight eminent. He didn't like not knowing what was going on, but this was obviously important to Hakkai. Sanzo had only seen that look in the green eyed man on a couple of occasions, but he knew what it meant, whether for good or bad.

Ookami got back to his feet, a smile on his lips as he wiped the blood away. Then the smile faded and the two men faced each other with only malice between them. "Where is she Cho Hakkai?" 

"I don't know." Hakkai stated bluntly, although it confirmed who had made the way back possible. Who had left the strip of blue light that he and Goku had found. He also doubted very much that Rinai desired to be found by either of them. He took another step forward. His insides shook and pain clutched at his chest, but Hakkai let none of that show. "You said before that if we had fought under normal circumstances, I would have won. Would you not say this can now be a fair fight?"

Ookami's face hardened. "What's to stop you from removing your limiters?"

Hakkai's gaze stayed locked with the youkai's. 

"I won't." 

After a minute of silence Ookami nodded, then grinned, the growing insanity in his eyes clearly visible. "Then it would be my honor, Cho Hakkai."

Hakkai made ready, letting himself be controlled by the rage once more. It seemed to feed off of him and give him energy all the same time and it was with deft moves that he was able to avoid the axe blade and redirect Ookami. The youkai twisted further bringing the blade around again to catch Hakkai in the side like he had before, but this time, instead of trying to move away, Hakkai rolled into Ookami and grappled with the axe head on. Energy focused in his hand as it found the gem imbedded in the axe while they struggled for control. It burned on touch, but Hakkai was past feeling, and with a burst of determination focused his ki directly into the gem, till it, at last, also burst.

With a growl, Ookami managed to kick Hakkai away from him and still retain the axe, although sans jewel. Hakkai cried out from the force of the kick, yet pushing himself back up on unsteady feet growled out, "Now we finish it."

Ookami charged, leaping into the air as a burst of ki came out to meet him. There was no time for another from a distance and it was with a cry of pain that Hakkai let the energy consume them both as the youkai descended. 

"Hakkai!" Goku and Gojyo both yelled and all three rushed to the spot the two fighters lay unmoving. Gojyo quickly rolled Ookami's lifeless body from their friend as checked to be sure the youkai was dead and Goku kicked the weapon furiously away.

They crouched around Hakkai anxious while Sanzo shook the man's shoulder to raise him to consciousness. Hakkai pulled in an unsteady breath but opened his eyes. "Hakkai you idiotic showoff! What do you think you were doing?!" Gojyo demanded mercilessly. 

Hakkai just smiled, then dull green eyes sought out the monk and he whispered hoarsely, "Now...I...am...well." He closed his eyes again then, his breath slowing even more as unconsciousness folded around him. 

"Hakkai?" Goku hesitantly questioned shaking the unresponsive man's arm.

"Baka!" Sanzo growled out to no one in particular. Wordlessly he picked up the unconscious man and throwing him over his shoulder lead the rest back toward the village. 

*****

Hakkai no longer felt cold. In fact, he felt quite warm. 

Yet his illusions of what Hell should be like were constantly shattered, for when he opened his eyes the site he met was of a plain wooden ceiling, and the touch at his finger tips was of the warm blankets that surrounded him. 

"Finally awake are you?"

Hakkai turned his head to see Kazou in a chair watching him. A smile playing at the old youkai's lips.

"Your companions are interesting ones, Cho Hakkai. By now the kid has eaten half our winter reserves, I'm sure, though that didn't keep him from watching over you. Nor the others." Then the youkai chuckled. "I'm sure if I didn't have Akako to help, I'd have never succeeded. No, to my surprise, it was the monk who I had the hardest time convincing you'd be fine."

"How...long...?" Hakkai found his throat bone dry and swallowed hard. Kazou leaned over to a waiting pitcher filling a glass with water while answering the unfinished question. "Only a few days. I suppose it could have been worse, would have been I'm sure for any other person, under any other circumstances." 

Hakkai shifted, trying to sit up to accept the offered water. His limbs felt heavy, his energy completely drained, but only the faintest of sharp twinges accosted him. Surprised, he felt for the wounds he knew should still exist, finding instead freshly healing skin. He looked at Kazou surprised and the youkai grinned with much humor.

"You aren't the only one who's learned how to focus his ki, Cho Hakkai," Kazou told him, then added modestly, "though I doubt my meager abilities would ever compare to yours."

Green eyes regarded the old man. How much did his know? As if reading his thought in that look, the elder youkai sighed, and smiling told him, "I suppose a lot of this is my own fault." Hakkai frowned, but the man continued, "I knew what she was, what she had done...and why."

"Rinai," Hakkai breathed out, his eyes hardening in reaction, but they softened again when the youkai nodded.

"She's gone now. And she'll not return here. Maybe I should have done something before, but..." he trailed off with a look of helplessness.

Hakkai instinctually knew what had stood in the way. "Ookami."

Kazou nodded, then smiling encouraged Hakkai to drink. It wasn't easy maintaining a grip on the glass, but the cool liquid did much to revitalize him. "It'll be several more days yet before you regain your full strength, but there's no doubt that you will." 

Just then the door opened a crack and a pair of golden eyes and a pair of red eyed jewels peered cautiously in. Once Goku had discerned that his eyes were not deceiving him, and there was no Sanzo with his fan laying in wait to banish him out again, he threw the door wide open and with a widening smile cried, "Hakkai! You're awake!" The red jewels of the dragon who'd been perched atop Goku's head seemed to sparkle and with an excited squeal Hakuryuu left his perch to land on Hakkai's lap, rubbing his head against the man's hands emitting many sounds of delight. 

Goku looked ready to jump into Hakkai's lap as well, but managed to stay at the edge of the bed instead. "Hakkai! Hakkai, are you better now?"

Hakkai laughed, and while trying to pet the insistent dragon with one hand reached out and ruffled Goku's hair with the other. "Domo, Goku." 

The door opened wider and Gojyo came in, another red head with him, and a little surprisingly to Hakkai, their hands were clasped together. "Eh, so you're awake now are you?" Gojyo asked with a smirk. But then he scowled and quickly scolded. "Don't ever do that again!"

"Hai," 

"You say that but you don't mean it!" Gojyo growled out discouraged.

Hakkai was about to protest, but another voice gave vent. "The kappa's right," Sanzo stated as he, too, entered the room. Then he added, "but what you do is your own business. It's no concern to me."

"Hai." 

"Um? What business?" Goku asked, looking from one person to the next.

Gojyo sighed and said, "No business Goku, don't worry about it." The boy only frowned.

"Alright," Kazou finally interrupted them. "It's time for you all to leave again."

"What? So soon?" Goku protested, "But he only just woke up!"

"And he'll fall asleep again in a minute," Kazou easily replied trying to usher them all to the door. The dragon bluntly refused. "Sleep is what he needs right now," the youkai reaffirmed to the rest. 

"Isn't that how this whole mess began?" Gojyo grumbled, but then the woman he was with grinned and leaning over whispered something into the kappa's ear that made his cheeks turn as red as his hair and a smile spread across his face. 

"Eh, Gojyo! What'd she say?" Goku asked following them out.

"Something you'd never understand," Gojyo told him.

"But I want to know!"

"Never mind what she said!" Their words trailed after them down the hallway.

Sanzo still stood within the room. The youkai gave the monk one long look before sighing and leaving, closing the door behind him.

Hakkai's hand stilled from petting Hakuryuu and the dragon curled up around it, still breathing out a soft noise much like a quite hum. Hakkai turned green eyes up to the watching monk. "Sanzo?"

"The old man wasn't telling me something. Something I think only you know." Hakkai didn't readily answer and the priest settled himself in the chair to wait. Then questioned further when Hakkai still hadn't answered. "Goku said it was Ookami who had nearly killed you before. What does Rinai have to do with all of this?"

"She stole something from me," Hakkai finally answered his voice raw with bitterness, bitterness that quickly turning to a deeper sorrow. "Something I can never get back." He sighed and closed his eyes leaning back into the pillows. For a long while there was only silence, then Hakkai heard the rustle of a newspaper being drawl out. He opened his eyes again, green meeting lavender. 

There was no condemnation there, merely acceptance, and Hakkai sighed again, a smile touching his lips as he once again closed his eyes, this time drifting off to the much-needed sleep. After that the only sound for hours was the occasional dragon hum or rustle of a newspaper.

****** 

It was a few days later before the party found themselves once again on the road west. And it'd been a long hike up the cliff to get there. Hakkai sat on the back of the recently transformed Hakuryuu pulling out the map as he did, more as an excuse to stop for a moment than because he needed to see it. He didn't want to admit it but the hike up had taken its toll and he was already exhausted. Kazou had said it would be at least a few more days before he'd be up to it, but Sanzo had grown quite impatient, and Hakkai was more than willing to leave the secluded village. 

Gojyo took the map from Hakkai, sitting next to him on the jeep. "Gojyo?" Hakkai questioned confused.

"I'm driving," Gojyo stated matter of fact, and frowning studied the map in hand.

"But-"

"You'll just fall asleep at the wheel again!" The kappa stated bluntly, then turned the map the other way as if that would make more sense.

"Can I drive?" Goku asked eagerly. 

"No!" Was the immediate response from just about everyone. Then Sanzo yelled from the front seat, "What's taking so long? Let's go!"

"Hai," Was Hakkai's immediate response and he made for the front seat, not at all encouraged by Gojyo's map reading attempts, but a pointing fan stopped him in his tracks.

"You. There." And the fan pointed to the back.

Gojyo smugly got into the driver's seat while Hakkai hesitated. The green clad man smiled, nervously saying, "it seems everybody is against me on this."

"Yep!" Goku all too cheerfully agreed, then ushered him into the back. With another smile and a soft sigh, Hakkai made himself comfortable. His limbs were grateful and his eyelids heavy so it was as the jeep started up and they continued down the road once again heading west that Hakkai once more fell asleep.

He knew it wasn't a normal dream the moment it began. 

He was in the middle of a field of yellow flowers, the wind brushing at their rooted petals insistently. Hakkai bent down and touched one of the flowers, feeling it's soft texture between two fingers. He felt someone approach but he didn't bother turning around. 

"What do you want?" He asked coldly.

"I...I..."Rinai's voice faltered. "I don't know," she whispered.

Hakkai pulled the flower from the ground and stood gazing down at it, but he still didn't turn around. "If we meet again I'll kill you." He promised in the silence, and crushing the flower let it fall once more to the ground before walking away, like waking out of the dream.

Hakkai opened his eyes to gaze at the passing clouds above. Beside him he listened as Goku talked with Gojyo, apparently still confused about something.

"But I thought you liked her?"

"I do."

"But you left."

"Of coarse. She knew that." 

Goku paused still struggling. "But-"

"Ursari!" Sanzo cried and there was the sudden sound of the fan, a slightly wavering of the jeep and resulting sounds from Hakuryuu as well as an earnest protest from Gojyo. "Hey! I'm driving here, Sanzo! Do you want to drive?!"

"I'll drive!" Goku quickly offered.

"NO!!!" Both front seat occupants were unanimous. 

Hakkai closed his eyes again, his darker thoughts a little more pacified, and he relaxed into a far more pleasant dreamless sleep.

~End~

----

Note: If you as a reader made it this far, I give you my thanks and my applause! :D

Also, I know arigato means thank you, and domo arigato is thank you very much, but I used just domo earlier for Hakkai because I've only seen the anime, and in there, he's used domo as a short for domo arigato a couple of times. *shrugs* I'm not the best with languages. ;)


End file.
